Container



R. WALTER.

coNTAlNER.

,1921. 1,393,591, Patented 001. 11, 1921.

UNITED` STATES ROBERT WALTER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CONTAINER.

Application filed February 28, 1921.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT WALTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Containers, of which the following is a specication.

This invention relates to a containerconstruction, and has as its object the provision of novel and useful means for maintaimng the container parts in assembled relation.

The invention relates to the type of container which comprises a plurality of slats or staves which are generally held together by a hoop or band. The invention has as a more specific object the provision of a binding means for the stays which will permit a slight expansion or contract-ion of the container when necessary.

A still further object is to provide a container which is of a very simple construction, sightly in genei'al appearance, and which may be very economically manufactured.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown my invention as embodied in a basket intended for use with liower pots and the like, but it will be understood, of course, that the invention is of general application and not limited to this particular type of container.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the basket; and

Fig. 2 is a half top plan.

Referring to the drawings for a more de* tailed description, the basket is of the open top type and has a bottom 10 of circular outline surrounded by a plurality of upwardly extending staves or slats 11. The staves may be secured to the bottom, as by screws 12 passing through the peripheral wall of the bottom piece.

Adjacent the bottom the staves may be very closely associated leaving a very small space, if any, between the adjacent staves. However, as will be observed, the staves are inclined outwardly from the circumferential wall of the bottom, the adjacent staves diverging in the direction of their free ends, thereby creating a space between the adjacent staves which increases in area approaching the open top of the container.

Intermediate the bottom and the top of the basket, a band 13 extends across the staves upon the interior of the basket and is secured to each stave, as by a staple 14. The free ends of the band may be secured upon Specification oi' Letters Patent.

' Patented oet. i1, rsa1.

Serial No. 448,319.

one of the staves, as by a pair of staples 15. Intermediate its ends the band has looped portions 16 extending into the spaces between the adjacent staves and preferably abutting the sides of the adjacent staves when the container is in normal and unexpanded condition.

The band should preferably be formed of somewhat i'iexible resilient material, such as spring wire, so that any inward pressure applied to the container will not result. in a breaking of the band but merely in a contraction of the ycontainer due to the licking of the band at its loop portions. Likewise, any expanding or outward pressure applied from the interior of the container will result in a separation of the staves and a widening of the loops. As soon as either of the above mentioned stresses are removed, due to the resilient character of the binding band, the container will return to its normal shape and size.

It should be observed that the intervening loop portions 16 of the band are entirely free, the band being secured to the staves upon the interior of the basket. By leaving the loops free, the basket may readily expand and contract, its freedom in this direc tion being dependent in great. measure upon the rigidity and strength of the band.

Obviously, numerous changes and modifications might be made in the construction illustrated and described without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, the band might readily be located upon the exterior of the basket and have its loop portions extend inwardly. However, the illustrated form is preferable since the interior location of the band causes the basket to present a more sightly appearance. Again, the invention is not limited to the exact shape of the container shown, or to the use of but a single band, since these are but non-essential features of the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

I claim:

1. A container having a wall construction comprising a plurality of spaced staves and a band directly secured to each of said staves and extending across the staves upon the interior of the container, said band having a plurality of free intermediate U- shaped spring loop portions ext-ending outwardly between adjacent staves.

2. A container having a wall construction, comprising a plurality of spaced staves,

and a hand secured to and extending acrossV a plurality of the staves having free intermediate spring loop portions in said spaces between adjacent staves.

3. A container having a wall construction comprising a plurality of spaced staves, and a hand secured to and extendingacross a plurality of stares upon the interior of the container having free intermediate spring loop portions in said spaces between adjacnt staves, and abutting the sides of the z-djacent staves.

A container having a wall construction comprising a plurality of spaced Staves, and a band secured to and extending across a plurality oi' the staves having free interme-V d'n e lai-shaped spring-loopfportions in said spaces between adjacent staves.

5. i container having a wall construction comprising a plurality or spaced staves, and a band directly secured to said staves and extending across the staves, said band having a plurality or free intermediate springloop portions extending between said staves.

6. A container having a wall construction comprising a plurality or' spaced staves, and a wire band directly secured toeach of said staves upon the interior of the container and extending across the staves, said band having a plurality of free intermediate springloop portions extending. between each of said staves.

7. A container having a wall construction comprisinga plurality of spaced stavesa and a wire band directly secured toreacli of said stares and extending across the staves, said band having a plurality of ree intermediate U-shaped spring-loop portions extending between each of saidstaves.

' In testimony whereoi1 have hereunto set my hand.

ROBERT WALTER 

